Usual trap contents last night, plus 1st Southern Oak Bush-cricket of the year.
Nige Jarman
@nigej.bsky.social
#Bockhill (birding) & Kingsdown (mothing) East Kent VC15 Birds Moths Butterflies Music
Much the same in the trap last night: 1 of 8 Oak Processionary, Cydia amplana, Small Mottled Willow (dark - locally bred?) & Palpita vitrealis. Varying numbers, but a similar mix to recent catches.
Cydia amplana, Oak Processionary (2), Acrobasis tumidana - presumed immigrants? + a smart Acleris cristana, last night.
Striped Hawk-moth from last night. I missed out in the earlier influx, so good to catch up.
Grasshopper Warbler #Bockhill was the highlight from today, but also my 1st returning Whimbrel & 2 Egyptian Geese heading N.
A couple of very-record shots of the Pectoral Sandpiper at New Downs South Pool No. 2, Sandwich this evening, with @jayjc01.bsky.social
Raspberry Clearwing - one of six to HYL lure yesterday afternoon in the garden.
Marbled Clover - a new moth for me here last night (not unexpected, as there have been several trapped in SE Kent recently).
A quick trip into West Kent with @jayjc01.bsky.social this morning to see Brown Hairstreak. Hopefully it won't be too many years before they appear in East Kent.
Top micro from last night: Povolnya leucapennella. A new species for me here.
A worn Green Arches from Monday & a lovely True Lover's Knot from last night: 2 new moths this week.
These Brimstones enjoying the shelter of the garden and the Plumbago.
I was year-ticking the Bonaparte's Gull when @swalebirder.bsky.social phoned to say he had just found an American Golden Plover. The last shot is both birds together! Never close, but a stunning bird. Thanks Geoff.
I catch quite a few Channel Islands Pugs, but very few are as fresh as this individual.
Despite the NE winds that have set in here, this Spurge Hawk-moth was a welcome addition to the garden list.
Nice comparison of Lunar-spotted and Lesser-spotted Pinions, both trapped last week.
My 1st Chalk Hill Blues & 2nd brood Dingy Skippers in South Foreland Valley this morning.
A feeding flock of 100+ Med Gulls over the garden this evening. Mainly adults, but a few 1st & 2nd year birds in the mix. Presumably feeding on an ant swarm?
Some smart species last night, wanderers from local populations: Sub-angled Wave, Reed Dagger, Dewick's Plusia & Coleophora lixella.
Jersey Mocha from last night. A long-overdue new moth for me.
Best micro from last night was this Stathmopoda pedella, with its hindlegs held out at an angle.
This funky-looking Sussex Emerald was a bit of a shock from last night.
Gong bringing their cosmic sounds to The Booking Hall, Dover tonight. Always worth seeing.
Honey Buzzard N low over the garden this afternoon. Interestingly, it got little attention from the local gulls.
Pick of last night's migrants were Light Crimson Underwing & Ni Moth.
Kentish plover at Lade sands this evening showing well.
This super-fresh Alchymist was star moth from last night. The previous record for Kingsdown was 12 Aug 1934 by Mr H Charles.
